System of electrical distribution and control.



PATENTED FEB. 14, 1905.

4s11nms-sa3m 1.

E. LYNDON. SYSTEM OI ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION AND CONTROL.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 24. 1904. RENEWED JAN. 16, 1905.

INVENTOR ATTU NEYS.

*Q llllllllllll No. 782,456. PATENIED FEB. 14, 1905. E, LYNDON. SYSTEMOF ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION AND CONTROL.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 24. 1904. RENEWED JAN. 16, 1905.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

W/TNESSES: INVENTOH.

No. 782,456. PATENTED FEB. 14, 1905.

E.LYNDON. Y SYSTEM OF ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION AND CONTROL.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 24. 1904. RENEWED JAN. 16, 1905.

1 0 :1: l I *I II. I l 'Z7/[.Z:= k7 E-x WITNESSES. INVENTOR.

(5 M sf 57 2 L 1 ATTORNEYS.

No. 782,456. PATENTED FEB. 14, 1905.

E. LYNDON. SYSTEM OF ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION AND CONTROL.

APILIGATION FILED MAR. 24. 1904. RENEWED JAN.16, 1905.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

WITNESSES: I INVENTOR.

UNITED STATES Patented February 14, 19(15.

PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD LYNDON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 782,456, dated February14, 1905.

App icatio filed March 24, 1904. Renewed January 16, 1905. Serial No.241,196.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD LYNDON, a citizen of the United States,residing in the borough of Manhattan, city of New York, in the State ofNew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Systemsof Electrical Distribution and Control, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forminga part hereof.

In the operation of large battery plants it is necessary from time totime to vary the number of battery-cells in circuit. This must beaccomplished, as is well understood, without interruption of theoperating-circuit and without the short-circuiting of any cell.Ordinarily it is sought to attain the desired results by the use ofend-cell switches, by means of which oneor more of a number of end orreserve cells may be connected in circuit or disconnected from circuitwith the main battery. The end-cell switches, however, require each endor reserve cell to be connected to the switchby a conductor heavy enoughto carry the maximum current, and in any ordinary installation the costof such conductors is a large item in the expense, while in a largeinstallation the cost of such conductors is excessive.

It is the object of this invention, accordingly, to provide for varyingthe number of cells in circuit without the use of what is known as anend-cell switch and without the use of a separate conductor from eachend or reserve cell to a point external to the battery, while theoperating-circuit remains undisturbed and the short-circuiting of anycell is avoided.

It will be obvious as this description proceeds, first, that theelements which enter into the composition of the improved system may bevariously arranged, as the construction of the plant to which the deviceis applied or convenience may render desirable, and, second, that thenecessary shifting of contacts to effect a Variation in the number ofcells in circuit may be accomplished directly by hand or indirectly byhand through suitable switchmotors, which may be operated by anyconvenient power, or that the operation of the switches or contacts maybe controlled by the operation of a single push-button or switch actingthrough a prime motor by which the switch motors are controlled.Therefore while the drawings, which have been made a part hereof for thepurpose of illustrating and explaining the nature of the invention, showa system which includes electrically-actuated switch-motors and anelectric prime motor it will be understood that the invention isapplicable to practical use without these devices and that in thegeneral combination other devices may be substituted for thoseillustrated and' described herein.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a general diagrammatic representation ofthe improved system, the switch-controlling devices being represented aslaid out or developed for the sake of greater clearness in theillustration of the system. Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic face View of thecircular controller, the contacts of which are shown developed inFig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view in outline, representing the con troller inedge view and showing also the motor and gearing for driving the same.Fig. 4 is a view in outline, showing the motor for the controller, withthe transmitting-gearing and brake for the motor.

Referring first to Fig. 1 of the drawings, the main battery isrepresented at 222]) and the end or reserve cells at a, a and (5,respectively. The main conductors to the switchboard or distributingcircuit are represented at ml and mt respectively. Adjacent to thebattery there is also provided an auxiliary conductor a l, which isconnected to the mainline conductor ml through a resistance r or asource of counter electromotive force which for the purposes of thisinvention is the full equivalent of an ordinary resistance, the termresistance being employed hereinafter with this meaning. In convenientposition with relation to the battery, preferably above the bus-bar,there is also provided a series of sets of contact-making devices orswitches, one set for the terminal cell a of the main battery and oneset for each of the end or reserve cells to There may also be providedsuitable a, &c.

switch-motors for each set of contact-making devices or switches, asindicated in the drawings; but for the purpose of describing the meansfor adding to or cutting out the circuit one or another of the end orreserve cells it will be sufiieient to describe at this point thegeneral arrangement of the contacts or switches and to reserve for thepresent the explanation of the switch-motors. Each set of contactdevices or switches comprises three contacts I) 0 (l, l) 0 rl, &c., andtwo movable contacts or switches 6f. 6 f, &c., arranged, respectively,to complete the circuit between the intermediate contact 0 0, &c. andthe contacts l l), &c., and (l cl, &c., respectively. Each contact l l,&c., is connected to the auxiliary conductor (ll. Each intermediateconductor 0 c, &c., is connected to the busbar between the main batteryand the successive end or reserve cells, respectively, and each contact(l cl, &c., is connected to the mainline conductor ml. For the sake ofclearness and completeness the description of operation of this portionof the invention will now be described before reference is had to anymeans other than manual for the shifting of the switches or contacts. Ifitis assumed that both of the end or reserve cells a and (l are includedin circuit with the main battery, the switch or brush or movable contactas shown in the drawings, completes the circuit from the.

contact 0 which is connected with the main bus-bar, to the contact (lwhich is connected. as described, with the main-line conductor ml. Ifthen it be desired to add the cell a to the circuit, the switch device 6is actuated to connect electrically the contact l with the contact 0thus connecting the cell a through such contacts with the auxiliaryconductor al. Since the auxiliary conductor (ll is connected to themain-line conductor ml through the resistance or source of counterelectromotive force 9', the short-cireuiting of the cell (6 isprevented. Meanwhile,as will be understood, the connection of the mainbattery and the two cells a and (l with the main line through thecontacts 0 and (l has thus far remained unbroken; but it is now brokenby actuating the switch device f and while contacts l and 0 are stillconnected electrically the switch device f is actuated to connectelectrically the contact 0 and the contact (l thus adding the cell a tothe operating-circuit without any interruption of the circuit or anyshort-eircuiting of any cell. The switch device 6 may now be actuated orreleased to open the connection between the contacts l and 0 In removinga cell from the operating-circuit the steps just described are followedin the reverse order-that is to say, while the connection between thecontacts 0 and (l still remains closed the connection between thecontacts I) and c is closed. Then the connection between the contacts 0and (l is opened, next the connection between the contacts 0 and (l ofthe cell (l is closed, and, finally, the connection between the contactsl and e of the cell ai is opened. It will be obvious that any of the endor reserve cells may be connected into the circuit or disconnected fromthe ci rcuitin the same manner, it being understood, of course, that theseveral end or reserve cells are connected or disconnected insuccession, so that the number of cells included in circuit shall beincreased or decreased one at a time.

Any suitable motors, such as air or liquid or electrical, may beprovided for the actuation of the switch devices from some convenientpoint external to the battery and more or less remote therefrom. In thedrawings such motors are represented as of an electrical type,preferably solenoids, as 7 /l g ll, &c., the cores of which areconnected, respectively, with the switch devices cf 0 f, &c., the latterbeing arranged to open by gravity. The windings of all of the solenoidsmay be connected on one side of the main line ml, as by a suitableconductor l On the otherside the winding of each of the auxiliarysolenoids g g, &c., is connected, respectively, with correspondingcontacts 11 l. &c. and the windings of the main solenoids /1, it, &c.,are likewise respectively connected on the other side with contacts l;k, &c. A single contact-strip m, may be provided for cooperation withthe contacts l l, &c., l1 l:, 620., being connected with the other sideof the main line ml", as by a suitable conductor m. The several contactsl l, &c., l; 7:, &c., are arranged in parallel relation with thecontact-strip m and in a staggered relation with respect to each other,so that the movable contact a, which may be arranged to be moved by handor by any other suitable means along the contact-strip m, and the seriesof contacts 1' l, &c., l; L, &c., shall connect each solenoid insuccession with the main battery, and so provide for the energization ofeach solenoid in succession and for the actuation of each switch device0 f e f, &c., in succession. As will be observed, the contacts of thetwo series l, &c., and 7'; l, &c., overlap slightly, so that eachsuccessive auxiliary solenoid shall be energized and its correspondingswitch actuated before the preceding main solenoid /i ll, &c., isdeenergized and its switch device released whether the contact a bemoved in one direction or in the other. In this manner the connection ofeach end or reserve cell to the auxiliary conductor (ll and thencethrough the resistance 0' to the main-line conductor ml is assuredbefore the connection of the preceding end or reserve cell with themain-line conductor ml is opened.

hile it is obvious that the movable contact or brush a may be moved byhand, as desired, for the addition or subtraction of one or more end orreserve cells, there is illustrated in the drawings and will now beexplained a means whereby such contact or brush may be moved through theoperation of a suitable motor, which may in turn be controlled by asingle switch or push-button. Fig. l of the drawings represents suchmeans diagrammatically and with the contact-strips developed, whileFigs. 2 and 3 represent, also diagrammatically, such contact-strips,together with those pre viously referred to, as arranged in circularrelation upon a disk with relation to which the contact or brush a maybe rotated by a suitable motor controlled as hereinafter eX- plained.Referring particularly to Fig. 2, it will be seen that the contacts 6 i,&c., 7c it, &c., and the contact-strip m are arranged concentric andthat the movable contact or brush a is mounted to revolve upon thecommon center. Adjacent to the contact-strip m is a contact-strip 0,which at intervals on its contact-surface is provided withinsulatingblocks 0, these being severally arranged in radial positionbetween the successive contacts 2", &c., so that when the movablecontactbar hereinafter referred to rests 'upon one of suchinsulating-blocks it shall at the same time complete the circuit betweenthe strip m and one of the blocks]? k, &c., only. The contact-strip 0,it will be understood, is continuous, the insulating-blocks 0 beingbridged, as indicated at 0 and is connected to one member of thepush-button or switch 0, which is provided for the control of the motor,as hereinafter described. Adjacent to the strip 0, but insulatedtherefrom, is another contactstrip q, adapted to be connected to thecontact-strip 0 by a movable contact a, which is arranged to move withthe contact 12,, but is insulated therefrom, being conveniently carriedon the opposite side of the pivot of said arm a, as represented in Fig.2. The two arms or contact bars or brushes a and n are arranged to movein contact with the several contact-strips, as hereinbefore described,and for convenience may be mounted upon a spindle w, which may be driventhrough a suitable worm-gearing w from the shaft 3 of an electric motor.9, for which an electricallyactuated brake s of ordinary constructionmay be provided. The contact-strip 0 may be connected with one side ofthe main circuit through the field-coils 8* of the motor 8, as by asuitable conductor 8 and the contactstrip 1 may likewise be connectedwith the other side of the main circuit through the windings of theelectric brake 8 a doublepole double-throw switch 25, and thearmaturewindings s of the motor by a suitable conductor s, as clearlyrepresented in Fig. l.

The operation of the contact-brush a by the motor is as follows: Itbeing assumed that the brush is resting upon one of the insulatingblocks 0 and that the circuit is open at the push-button or switch 19, themotor is at rest and is held by the brake cuit be closed at thepush-button or switch 1), the brake s will be released and the motorwill begin to rotate and will continue torotate when the brush a haspassed from the insulating-block 0 notwithstanding the fact thatthepush-button p is released. The rotation of the motor, and consequentlythe advance of the brush a, will continue until the brush 1? reaches thenext insulating-block 0, when the circuit being open at e the brake sWill be applied and the motor will be brought to rest with the brushresting on such insulating-block 0. The motor will remain at rest withthe brush in this position until the circuit is again closed by theoperation of the push-button or switch at 9. It will thus be obviousthat the cutting in or cutting out of one of the end or reserve cellswill be effected by the operation of the push-button or switch 1), thedirection of movement of the contactbrushes a and n being determined bythe switch t.

Although it has been explained herein how the successive addition orsubtraction of end or reserve cells may be efiected by the manipulationof the switches 39 and 2,, which may be located at any convenient pointeither near or remote from the battery, it will be understood that themeans whereby such cells are directly connected to or disconnected fromthe main circuit are independent in construction, arrangement, andoperation of the devices whereby the operation of such means iscontrolled and that so far as concerns such means the invention is notrestricted to the cooperation therewith of the controlling devices.Furthermore, it will be obvious that various changes as each particularinstallation may render desirable may be made not only in the meansherein referred to, butin the devices for controlling such means,without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim as my invention 1. A system of electrical distribution andcontrol, comprising a main battery, one or more end or reserve cells,main-line conductors common to the several end or reserve cells,andmeans whereby each of said end or reserve cells is connected with oneof said common main-line conductors successively through a resistanceand directly, substantially as described.

2. A system of electrical distribution and control, comprising a mainbattery, one or more end or reservecells, main-lineconductors common tothe several end or reserve cells, means whereby each of said end orreserve cells is connected with one of said common conductorssuccessively through a resistance and directly, and independent devicescontrolling the operation of said means, substantially as described.

3. A system of electrical distribution and If now the cir ,5

I /control, comprising a main battery, one or more end orreserve cells,main-line conductors, means whereby each of said end or reserve cells isconnected with one of said conductors successively through a resistanceand directly, and independent electrically-actuated devices comprising aseries of contacts, and a movable contact-brush to control the operationof said means, substantially as described.

4:. A system of electrical distribution and control, comprising a mainbattery, one or more end or reserve cells,main-lineconductors, meanswhereby each of said end or reserve cells is connected with one of saidconductors successively through a resistance and directly, andindependent electrically-actuated devices comprising a series ofcontacts, and a movable contact-brush to control the operation of saidmeans, and a motor and intermediate devices to move said contact-brush,substantially as described.

5. A system of electrical distribution and control, comprising a mainbattery, one or more end or reserve cells, main-line conductors commonto the several end or reserve cells, normally open connections betweeneach of the end or reserve cells and one of the common mainlineconductors, normally open connections including a permanent resistancebetween each of said end or reserve cells and said mainline conductor,and means to close or open each of said connections while the other isopen or closed, substantially as described.

6. A system of electrical distribution and control, comprising a mainbattery, one or more end or reserve cells, main-line conductors commonto the several end or reserve cells, connections including a main switchbetween each of the end or reserve cells and one of the common main-lineconductors, connections including an auxiliary switch and a permanentresistance between each of said end or reserve cells and said mainlinecond uctor, and means to close or open each of said switches while theother is open or closed, substantially as described.

7. A system of electrical distribution and control, comprising a mainbattery, one or more end or reserve cells, mainline conductors common tothe several end or reserve cells, an auxiliary conductor, a resistancebetween the auxiliary conductor and one of the common main-lineconductors, normally open connections between each of the end or reservecells and said last-named mainline conductor, normally open connectionsbetween each of said end or reserve cells and said auxiliary conductor,and means to close or open each of said connections when the other isopen or closed, substantially as described.

8. A system of electrical distribution and control, comprising a mainbattery, one or more end or reserve cells, main-line conductors, anauxiliary conductor, a resistance between the auxiliary conductor andone of the main-line conductors, a switch device between the mainbattery and said last-named mainline conductor, connections including aswitch between each successive end or reserve cell and said auxiliaryconductor and connections including a switch between each of suchendcells and said last-named main-line conductor, substantially asdescribed.

9. A system of electrical distribution and control, comprising a mainbattery, one or more end or reserve cells, main-line conductors,normally open connections including a switch between each of the end orreserve cells and one of the main-line conductors, normally openconnections including a switch and a resistance between each of said endor reserve cells and said main-line conductor, independent motors t'orsaid switches, and means to control said motors to close or open each ofsaid connections while the other is open or closed, substantially asdescribed.

10. A system of electrical distribution and control, comprising a mainbattery, one or more end or reserve cells, mainline conductors, normallyopen connections including an electrically-actuated switch between eachof the end or reserve cells and one of the mainline conductors, normallyopen connections including an electrically-actuated switch and aresistance between each of said end or reserve cells and said main-lineconductors, electrical connections to control said switchesrespectively, and means cooperating with said contacts to actuate saidswitches in succession, substantially as described.

11. A system of electrical distribution and control, comprising a mainbattery, one or more end or reserve cells, main-line conductors, anauxiliary conductor, a resistance interposed between said auxiliaryconductor and one of said main-line conductors, switch devices andconnections to connect each of such end or reserve cells with saidauxiliary conductor and with said last-named main-line conductor,electrical connections to control said switches respectively, contactsfor said connections respectively, and means cooperating with saidcontacts to actuate such switchcontrolling devices in succession,whereby each end cell may be connected with said lastnamed main-lineconductor and said auxiliary conductor in succession, substantially asdescribed.

12. A system of electrical distribution and control, comprising a mainbattery, one or more end or reserve cells, main-line conductors,normally open connections including a main switch between each of theend or reserve cells and one of the main-line conductors, normally openconnections including a main switch and a resistance between each ofsaid end or reserve cells and said mainlineconductor,electrically-actuated devices to control said switchesrespectively, a series of contacts for said main switches, a series ofcontacts for said auxiliary switches severally overlapping thefirst-named contacts and a contactbrush in circuit arranged to completethe circuit with each of said contacts successively, substantially asdescribed.

This specification signed and witnessed this 21st day of March, A. D.1904.

' EDWARD LYNDON.

In presence 0f- ANTHONY N. JESBERA, M. A. BRAYLEY.

